Angels Landing is one of Zion’s most rewarding hikes if you are comfortable with major exposure and secure both park admission and a permit for the chained summit ridge. It works best with an early permit window, dry weather, and enough time for shuttle logistics.
Enter the seasonal permit lottery
Apply through the official Recreation.gov seasonal lottery with several ranked hike dates and times; the chained ridge beyond Scout Lookout requires a named, non-transferable permit plus photo ID.
MoreUse the day-before lottery
If you miss the seasonal lottery, apply on Recreation.gov between 12:01 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time the day before your intended hike; results arrive by 4:00 p.m.
MoreRide to The Grotto, Stop 6
During shuttle operation, board the free Zion Canyon Shuttle at the Visitor Center and exit at Stop 6, The Grotto; allow roughly 25–35 minutes from Stop 1 plus any boarding queue.
MoreStop at Scout Lookout if unsure
Scout Lookout gives a major canyon view without the permit-only chained ridge, which should be skipped in wet, icy, stormy, dark, or high-exposure conditions.
MoreWest Rim Trail to Scout Lookout
No Angels Landing permit required; begins from The Grotto, Zion Canyon Shuttle Stop 6.
Angels Landing chained ridge and summit
Requires an Angels Landing permit for the assigned date and start-time window; named permit holder must carry photo ID.
Angels Landing is Zion National Park’s signature exposed summit hike, not an attraction in La Verkin itself: it begins at The Grotto, Zion Canyon Shuttle Stop 6, reached via Springdale. The 5.4-mile round-trip route gains 1,488 feet, climbing the West Rim Trail through Refrigerator Canyon and Walter’s Wiggles to Scout Lookout, then following a narrow sandstone fin for about half a mile to the summit with chain handrails and drops of up to roughly 1,000 feet on either side. Named after a 1916 remark that only an angel could land there, the engineered trail makes a once-inaccessible high point reachable on foot and delivers sweeping aerial views over Zion Canyon. (source: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm)
This is one of Zion’s most dramatic earned viewpoints: rather than viewing cliffs from the canyon floor, hikers look down the length of Zion Canyon from a high, narrow ridge. The permit system has reduced former chain-section congestion, but the final ridge is not for visitors with a fear of heights, poor balance, vertigo, relevant heart or breathing conditions, or discomfort with exposed two-way traffic; do not attempt it in wet, icy, stormy, or dark conditions. Scout Lookout is the worthwhile no-permit alternative, offering much of the panorama without the final exposed section. (source: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm)
Before you go
No. Angels Landing is in Zion National Park’s main Zion Canyon, not in La Verkin. Start at The Grotto, Zion Canyon Shuttle Stop 6. Most visitors approach through the South Entrance/Zion Canyon Visitor Center in Springdale, then take the park shuttle to Stop 6.
Yes, for the chained final ridge beyond Scout Lookout. You also need separate admission to Zion National Park. You may hike to Scout Lookout—about 4 miles round trip with roughly 1,000 feet of climbing—without an Angels Landing permit.
For a planned trip, enter the Recreation.gov seasonal lottery and rank several acceptable dates and start-time windows. For a last-minute attempt, enter the day-before lottery between 12:01 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Mountain Time on the day before your hike; results arrive by 4:00 p.m. Do not buy or accept a public permit from another person: permits are non-transferable, the named holder must hike, and rangers routinely check ID.
The lottery application costs US$6 per application for up to six people, including the applicant. If awarded, the permit costs an additional US$3 per person. The day-before and seasonal lotteries use the same fees.
For hikes March 1–May 31, apply February 13–25; June 1–August 31, apply April 1–20; September 1–November 30, apply July 1–20; and December 1, 2026–February 28, 2027, apply October 1–20, 2026. Apply for multiple ranked dates and times rather than building a trip around one assumed winning date.
Enter the day-before lottery the afternoon before your intended hike. If unsuccessful, hike to Scout Lookout or continue on the West Rim Trail; neither needs an Angels Landing permit. A legitimate alternative is Zion Adventures’ guided Angels Landing tour, which costs US$249 per person and includes a commercial permit when the operator has availability; book it early and still pay park admission separately.